Be your own advocate!
This week we ran our first Let’s all Talk Menopause webinar (March 15, 2022) with Dr. Arianna Sholes-Douglas. And it was as inspiring as it was educational.
Dr. Arianna carefully explained for us what perimenopause is - the 8 – 10-year span leading up to the final cessation of your menstrual cycle (which is when you are officially in menopause). She talked through a lot of the symptoms we can experience and answered some really interesting audience questions. She helped us understand why women go through peri/menopause, how no two women’s experiences are the same and she cleared up some popular misconceptions about various treatments including Estrogen (no, it is not directly linked to breast cancer and yes, it can help stave off heart disease in some women!). As I said, very educational.
It was also inspiring to hear Dr. Arianna talk about the holistic approach one needs to take to not just manage through the symptoms but thrive. If you have read Dr. Arianna’s book, The Menopause Myth: What Your Mother, Doctor, and Friends Haven’t Told You about Life after 35 , you know that Dr. Arianna is more than just about treating symptoms, but about the importance of self-care. And if you haven’t read her book, that may be a good place to start as you embark on your own journey to take control of your peri/menopausal body.
Whether you choose to read her book or listen to our session with her, the most important thing to take away from Dr. Arianna is that you need to be your own advocate when it comes to taking care of you.
As women, we are often made to feel like we are too emotional or too sensitive. That we are overreacting or “it must be that time of the month.” (Ironic, right?) As most doctors aren’t educated for more than 15 minutes in medical school about menopause nor are schooled in recognizing the symptoms, it is easy for them to shrug them off.
But guess what? We are emotional and we are sensitive. And thank goodness for that as those emotions help us be better nurturers, leaders, and empathizers. But we are also smart and in tune with our bodies. And when we reach midlife and start experiencing anxiety or brain fog or hot flashes or sleeplessness, or joint pain, etc., there is not only a reason for it, and help is available.
If your gynaecologist isn’t equipped to support you through your menopausal journey, that doesn’t mean you have to quit seeing him/her for your annual exam. But it does mean you need to find a healthcare practitioner who is. A good place to start is with the North American Menopause Society database of accredited menopause practitioners. And do join us for our series of talks that will help you understand and take control of your peri/ menopause symptoms.
Please be your own best advocate. Your body and your spirit will thank you.